Hide and Seek
by sparra-music
Summary: Legolas comes to Rivedell and meets a new addition to the household.


AN: They're not mine, I'm just taking them out to play. Hope you enjoy this little frolic.

_italics are thoughts_

**bold are Sindarin**

(translations in parentheses)

Sorry if I throw anyone off with the mixing and babytalk!

**Hide and Seek**

The tiny boy raced down the hall, knowing whatever lead he had was tenuous. _Where to hide, where to hide? _He was almost pulled up short by the thought of a room at the other end of the hall, a level down. If he could keep free of his brothers long enough to make it there, it would be ideal. _Ada almost always lets me play there if I'm quiet and don't disturb him, but if Dan and Ro go into his study, he usually gives them jobs! Now if I can just get there before they find me! _Hearing footsteps on the stairs, the dark haired boy paused a moment to hide behind some long curtains. He heard the quick, light steps of one of his brothers pass, and he waited a few seconds more- until he could hold his breath no longer- before giving the tiniest peek from behind his hiding place._ All clear._

Waiting a few more minutes before actually leaving his hiding place to tiptoe towards his chosen venue, lest his brothers' keen ears pick up the sound of his feet, the little boy crept on stealthily. He had to cover his mouth with his hand to stifle a giggle when he reached the twins speaking on the floor above him as he traveled down. _Whew! I might have got away with that! They didn't stop talking!_

Reaching the study, the two-year-old stretched with all his might, just barely grabbing the end of the door handle. As he started to pull it, however, he thought he heard footsteps and let go. _I don't think it's them... but it's so hard to tell with Elves! _Looking around- he saw no one in sight- yet- so he tried for the door handle again, this time jumping and pulling it down with his whole weight. Scurrying inside, he pulled the edge of the door so that it would close, and then turned to smile at his Ada. He was somewhat surprised not to find Elrond behind the desk, but then spotted him one of the chairs by the unlit hearth.

**"Mae gob'nen, Ada."** (Mae govannen; literally "well met", here: good morning, Daddy) He smiled brightly. "Play?"

Legolas, who had turned slightly in his chair to see who had entered, grinned at the small child before him. _He reminds me of myself. I always like to play in Ada's study as an elfling. It was such an easy way to be near him._

Elrond looked at his guest, unsure what to do. _Usually, I'd let him play- but then, usually, there aren't guests in here, either. _He quirked his brows, as if to say, What do you think?

Legolas caught the gesture and was beginning to nod when the boy gasped.

_There was someone else already in here!_ Bowing slightly to his guests, he said, "Sowwy, **Ada.** Dinn't know you not 'lone**. G'no nin, hir'b'in."** (Geheno nin, hir vuin; I'm sorry, my lord.)

**"Man pennich?**" (What did you say?) Legolas turned to look at Elrond for translation, sure that the thumb that had popped into the boy's mouth as he hid- half behind a potted plant and half behind his thick dark hair- was not going to help him understand.

Elrond complied with the unspoken plea and explained that the boy had apologized. He also explained that he'd only been in Imladris a few months, and he often mixed the Sindarin he was picking up with the Common Tongue, which he still slurs around because of his age.

**"E adanling?"** (He is a man-child then?)

**"Min en dunedain." ** (One of the dunedain.)

"Oh," said Legolas, turning back to the boy, who had been watching them talk with enormous rounded eyes. **"Tolo, govado ven, penneth. Gi nathlam hí." **(Come, join us, little one. You are welcome here.)

**"Úchen'on."** (Ú chenion; I do not understand.) The boy had crept forward a little; the other elf seemed nice enough, even though he spoke very quickly, like a river.

**"Av'osto."** (Don't be afraid.) Legolas said gently, holding out his arms so that he could not be misunderstood. **"Tolo. Tolo, penneth."** (Come. Come, little one.)

That, the toddler understood. He came to Legolas' hands and squealed with delight as he was swung up through the air before being deposited into the new elf's lap. As he smiled and cuddled into the elf's chest, he murmured, **"Le'non." **(Le hannon; thank you.)

**"Man cerig hí, ion nin?"** (What are you doing here, my son?) inquired Elrond from his place behind the desk.

"I hidin'." The mischievous glint in his eyes as he said that made his elders smile more broadly.

"Hiding? **De man?** From whom?" Elrond asked.

"Wo an' Dan."

**"Am man theled?"** (Why?) Legolas asked, surprised, realizing he was talking about the twins.

"Game!" crowed the little boy. Looking at the elf holding him, he struggled for a word in Elvish to get his point across. "Uh, uh... **Theliad!**" (Fun!) He giggled a moment before adding, "**Noro hí, **an' dey nebeh fine me!" (I ran here, and they'll never find me!) Then he laughed, the fine, high belly laugh of a child.

It was contagious. Soon Elrond and Legolas were laughing, too. Looking up at the joyous face above him, the boy was struck by one of its features.

"Aw you 'Findeh's **gw'id'r**?" (gwaidor; Are you Glorfindel's brother?)

Elrond roared with laughter as Legolas looked at him for a translation again. When he understood the question, the younger elf had trouble stopping his own laughter long enough to ask why the boy would think such a thing.

The toddler reached up and tentatively stroked his hair with one hand. "I's yewwo. Like **anor** (It's yellow. Like the sun.")

Legolas beamed down at the little boy, who, in turn, looked up at him.

**"****Man le?"** (Who are you?)

**"Im Legolas. A man le?"**

**"Nana ialla nin Awago'n. Ada ialla nin 'Stel." **(Mamma calls me Aragorn. Daddy calls me Estel.) He yawned hugely. "Tell me **i narn, **Weg'was." (Tell me a story, Legolas).

Elrond smiled indulgently when Legolas glanced his way, enjoying the interplay between the elf who used to be inseparable from his own sons and had felt like one of them for thousands of years and the little boy who had already wrapped himself around his finger- and his heart.

Just a few moments later, gentle snores interrupted the lyric sound of the Sindarin tale.

******Epilogue******

It was over an hour and a half later when a knock sounded on the study door, once more interrupting Elrond and Legolas' conversation.

**"Tolo ned,"** called Elrond. (Come in.)

Elladan and Elrohir both came in, looking worried and shamefaced. When they admitted that the reason for being there- that their game of hide and seek had backfired and they couldn't find Estel anywhere, despite having searched the entire house and the gardens twice- they were surprised by their father's reaction.

He threw back his head and laughed. Legolas joined him. It was only when a small voice asked "Was go'n on?" (What's going on?) that the twins came close enough to see Estel in Legolas' lap, rubbing his eyes.

It took years for Legolas to stop teasing them about it. And when he found out the twins were giving Estel tracking lessons, he simply asked:

"Can you beat him at hide and seek yet?"

Whew! All that Sindarin is hard work! It took me four hours to write this little fic, and I already had the idea mostly down before I started. And if I screwed it up in places, I apologize.

But now I've really got to stop playing around, I've got chores to do.

Please review...


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